New Democrat Coalition Leaders Back Deal to Avert Default, End Government Shutdown
The leadership of the New Democrat Coalition formally endorsed the deal to raise the debt limit and end the government shutdown reached by Sens. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) today. The leaders released the following statement in response to the announcement of the deal:
“We refuse to believe that Washington must be trapped in a never-ending cycle of high-stakes brinkmanship and partisan finger-pointing. The American people are exhausted with the constant gridlock in this town and are demanding that we find a long-term, big, balanced deal to give our families certainty in this economy. America’s business community, led by groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has become vocal in its support for an end to the never-ending stalemate and a pathway to a long-term solution.
As leaders of the moderate, bridge-building New Democrat Coalition, we are ready to work across the aisle to go big in budget negotiations and get a deal done before the end of the year.”
Members of the New Democrat Coalition have consistently advocated for a bipartisan, comprehensive deficit reduction package that combines spending cuts and revenue. During the ‘fiscal cliff’ battle, the group authored a letter to both parties’ leadership demanding a big, bold, and bipartisan solution. Prior to the March 1 ‘sequester,’ the New Dems called for a plan along the lines of that proposed by Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles to get America’s fiscal house in order. Nearly two-thirds of the Coalition backed an amendment to pass the Simpson-Bowles plan in February.
The leaders expressed optimism that a requirement in the tentative deal to conclude budget negotiations by December 13 would lead to a breakthrough for bipartisan negotiations to complete a comprehensive deficit reduction package. In recent weeks, a number of informal working groups among House and Senate moderates have come together to chart a course for a budget solution.
The above statement was endorsed by New Democrat Coalition Chair Rep. Ron Kind (WI-03), Vice-Chair Rep. Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Vice-Chair Rep. Jim Himes (CT-04), Vice-Chair Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), and Vice-Chair Rep. Allyson Schwartz (PA-13).
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